Civil SDP servants
Sir: Colin Welch's interesting articles about the SDP (4 and 11 September) have ap- peared shortly after a senior civil servant told me that he and his colleagues sup- ported that party 'almost to a man'. I am not sure what that tells us about the SDP. What it shows about the civil service, however, is that its members remain attach- ed to the idea of well-intentioned and Pragmatic meddling. '
The Tories seek to reduce the role of government and, ipso facto, the civil ser- vice. Another Labour government would require the civil service to impose even more socialism upon the nation. Only the SDP and the Liberals seem to offer civil servants the sort of continuing function which they find congenial. Let us hope that the elec- torate disappoints them.
Neville Beale
Members' Lobby, Greater London Council, The County Hall, London SEI
Previous page
